Soft Muffin Tin Donuts (Printable)

Soft, cake-style baked donuts with a classic sweet glaze for nostalgic bakery flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 2/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
09 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
10 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Glaze

11 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2–3 tablespoons milk
13 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray or butter.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully combined.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined without overmixing.
05 - Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about halfway.
06 - Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Cool donuts in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Adjust milk for desired thickness.
09 - Dip tops of cooled donuts into glaze, allow excess to drip off, then place back on rack to set.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They bake in 15 minutes flat, which means fresh donuts faster than driving to a bakery.
  • No deep fryer means no lingering oil smell in your kitchen or clothes for days.
  • The soft, cake-like crumb stays moist and tender even the next day if you can resist eating them all.
  • You can customize the glaze or toppings based on your mood or what's in your pantry.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable here—cold eggs and milk won't blend smoothly into the batter, which affects how evenly they bake.
  • Don't fill the muffin cups more than halfway, or the batter will spill over the edges and create irregular, overdone edges.
  • Let the donuts cool completely before glazing, otherwise the warm glaze will melt and slide right off instead of setting into that beautiful coat.
  • Sift the powdered sugar even if it seems silly—lumpy glaze looks gritty and feels gritty on your tongue.
03 -
  • Invest in a quality nonstick muffin tin with deep cups—it makes the donuts taller and prettier, and they release so much more easily.
  • If your glaze is too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time; if it's too thin, sift in a bit more powdered sugar—there's no disaster here, just adjustments.
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